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deliberateLIFE engages today's globally-conscious citizen in building a better tomorrow. We believe choices matter – so we vet ideas, products and organizations to make it easier for today's busy professionals to live well and do good.

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This semester, deliberateLIFE has the pleasure of hosting Annmarie, a Junior at Westmont College as our editorial intern. We interviewed her to get a deeper insight into what living deliberately means to her.

deliberateLIFE: Where did you grow up?

Annmarie Rodriguez:I grew up in Southern California, in the city of Irvine.

dL:What interests you about editorial work?

AR: In working on editorials, you get to both learn (through research and investigation) and also to teach (through writing). You have the ability to share valuable information, relate-able or completely odd-ball stories, and the like. You get to share acquired wisdom and various snippets of life, often with people you've never met before. I love that.

dL: What does deliberate living mean to you?

AR: Living deliberately stems from the inherent, beautiful, and unavoidable knowledge that people matter; both people and the earth. When I view life in these simple terms, living deliberately feels less daunting and more natural. Because the world is such an intricate and interconnected place, choices often affect more people than we are aware of. For example, choosing where to buy groceries can appear separate from social justice issues. In reality, where we shop and how we spend our money are often the most frequent ways in which we vote for or against social injustices (slavery, unfair wages, chemical usage, etc.). For me, living deliberately begins with waking up each morning knowing that my decisions matter and working to inform my choices with reliable, life-giving information.

dL: What current deliberate choices are you making?

AR: Recently, I've been using a reusable lunch bag instead of paper bags each day. I’ve been eating organic, locally grown, fair trade foods as often as possible and trying to run at least 3 times a week. When I run, I try to explore a new place each time--whether it's Golden Gate Park, the bridge, or Ocean beach--it makes staying healthy fun. I’m also working on attaining my ‘ideal water intake’ each day in order to stay hydrated. It's been a real challenge, but I've begun to feel a positive difference. I also intentionally choose to buy a majority of my clothes from second hand stores, such as: buffalo exchange and crossroads.

dL: In what ways are you hoping to improve your deliberate living in the next four months?

AR: I’m hoping to keep making the same daily choices as stated before. Other than that, I really want to learn more about where and how the clothes I wear is produced. I’d love to learn about the different chemicals that are used in cleaning and beauty products in order to be more aware of potentially harmful ingredients. For me, knowing the place and people around me well is also an important aspect of deliberate living. Since I just moved to San Francisco about a month ago, there's still so much too see and do. I'm hoping to be more deliberate in exploring the beautiful, obscure, local, and touristy parts of the city as well as making an intentional effort to be a valuable part of the community.

dL: What are the main obstacles that have kept you from living a deliberate life? & How have you worked to overcome them?

AR: I’ve often felt too busy, which is silly. A big part of deliberate living (for me) is remembering its incredible value—because if it’s worth doing than it’s worth taking the time up front to figure out how it can be properly implemented into everyday life. The biggest way I’ve overcome this obstacle is by taking the time to recognize my priorities. I contemplate what’s really important and worth spending my time on. Time and time, I am reminded that the only kind of life I want to live is a deliberate one.